Coronado/GranDestino Vs. Caribbean Beach (Vs. Pop)

[Aurora_Disney]

So I am looking at hotels that are left for the free dining plan and I am trying to decide what the best choice is. For what we can afford, there is Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Resort (Pirate Room.) We are currently booked at Pop, without free dining, but I am considering one of the other resorts as they are around the same price that we are currently paying for Pop. We have only ever stayed at Pop so I am unsure about any of the other resorts. Here are the things I am wondering about with Caribbean and Coronado (or the Towers).

1. Who has the best bus service?
2. Are the pirate rooms at Caribbean nice?
3. What are the best buildings to request? (Pirate rooms at Caribbean left, and Water, preferred view left at Coronado)

 

[nkereina]

1. Who has the best bus service?
2. Are the pirate rooms at Caribbean nice?
3. What are the best buildings to request? (Pirate rooms at Caribbean left, and Water, preferred view left at Coronado)

1. Bus service is subjective IMO, and any resort can have good or bad bus service on any given day. Both CBR and CSR have about the same number of bus stops on a route, and they are both pretty centrally located to the parks. I'd call this one a draw.

2. The rooms are fine, but the pirate room beds are doubles I believe and from what I have read, they are not the most comfortable. The rooms are also at the far end of the resort.

3. Preferred at Coronado is what we always stay, and what I would definitely choose of the available options you have left. If you look at a map, preferred at Coronado will be Casitas # 1, 2, or 3. Close to El Mercado and bus stop 2, which is the first pick up and first drop off for all the park bus routes.

 

[Disneylover99]

1. Pop IMO. One bus stop, so you just get on and go. No travelling around the resort to pick up people from different bus stops.

 

[Hi Pluto]

If moving to CSR or CBR would be the same price as Pop plus give you free dining then absolutely switch! I vote CSR.

 

[nkereina]

1. Pop IMO. One bus stop, so you just get on and go. No travelling around the resort to pick up people from different bus stops.

I would respectfully argue that the amenities at CSR and CBR (CSR in particular) would outweigh having to ride the bus an extra 5 minutes through multiple bus stops.

 

[Disneylover99]

I would respectfully argue that the amenities at CSR and CBR (CSR in particular) would outweigh having to ride the bus an extra 5 minutes through multiple bus stops.

I’m just answering the first question about best bus service, not amenities.
For me, Pop bus service wins hands down.

 

[nkereina]

I’m just answering the first question about best bus service, not amenities.
For me, Pop bus service wins hands down.

Gotcha. I was answering overall. The one bus stop is an advantage, but if OP books a preferred room at CSR, they could board at Bus Stop 1 to be the last one on and exit at Bus Stop 2 to be the first one off. The preferred rooms are right in the middle of these two bus stops.

 

[Disneylover99]

Gotcha. I was answering overall. The one bus stop is an advantage, but if OP books a preferred room at CSR, they could board at Bus Stop 1 to be the last one on and exit at Bus Stop 2 to be the first one off. The preferred rooms are right in the middle of these two bus stops.

I just find the bus stops at the moderates a bit of a crapshoot. Ideally it’s great to be able to board the bus at the final stop and go right to the parks, but when we stayed at CSR, that didn’t always happen, as buses were often full by the time they got to the final stop. We saw lots of frustrated people.

 

[naneliz]

FWIW I have stayed at each of these resorts. I have stayed at CBR Pirate Room and had our room right by a bus stop and I found that to be very convinient.

As far as CSR I do like the resort but feels like TON of walking no matter where you stay. This being said I currently have a stay planned early October of this year LOL

And POP is my favorite place to stay, because it's not over priced and seems easier to get around. But you don't get the fancy pool. And the bus can get overly full and long waits at times. But I don't mind it.

I'm not sure when your stay is but another plus to CBR is the upcoming gondola system is also something to consider.

 

[blewits]

Don’t forget about the Skyliner at Pop (you walk over to AoA) if you arrive after its up and running. That might be a game changer. It’s certainly what is hanging me up on my decision.

 

[HopperFan]

So I am looking at hotels that are left for the free dining plan and I am trying to decide what the best choice is. For what we can afford, there is Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Resort (Pirate Room.) We are currently booked at Pop, without free dining, but I am considering one of the other resorts as they are around the same price that we are currently paying for Pop. We have only ever stayed at Pop so I am unsure about any of the other resorts. Here are the things I am wondering about with Caribbean and Coronado (or the Towers).

1. Who has the best bus service?
2. Are the pirate rooms at Caribbean nice?
3. What are the best buildings to request? (Pirate rooms at Caribbean left, and Water, preferred view left at Coronado)

1. CSR has traditionally had good service and is most centrally located BUT since CBR is now smaller it's service may have improved. Any resort can be good/bad any given day.

2. Pirate Rooms NO NO NO NO run don't walk ... cause it's a long walk to main hub. They are brown, lots of brown, they are bunk style mattresses on pirate ship beds. And they are FULL beds. CSR and POP are Queen beds. Did I say they are brown ... you'll dream in brown. They made them themed because no on wanted to stay in those rooms they are so far.

3. Coronado ... we like Rancho buildings best for theme and location to main pool but I am assuming that water is pools ... Cabanas face a beach on the lake and Casitas face the deeper end of the lake. I would pick based on the theme you like. ALL rooms have just had a renovation so they will be nice .... much nicer than brown.

ALSO note that CSR has LOTS of dining options and always our first choice if on the dining plan. I love POP if I have a great rate but if you are saying with dining it would cost you about the same ... go for a moderate for sure.

 

[Aurora_Disney]

Thank you everyone for the helpful comments. I am leaning more towards CSR now. We are a childless couple and while I absolutely love Pop, we would also like to try a little more Adult styled hotel. Now to decide between the casitas or the Tower. I do like the casitas a bit more I think.

 

[Tammy A]

Stayed in the casitas before. So beautiful and I loved it. The tower is a completely different experience I think, Little more Vegasy.
Casitas are very romantic.

 

[armerida]

We’re at the Coronado tower right now and have been disappointed with how loud the rooms are (neighbors partying until 4am until I went to front desk and had security visit them). The buses have also been terrible - extremely long waits. We’ve only stayed at Pop once, but it was way quieter and buses were frequent. I’d go with Pop.

 

[Farro]

We’re at the Coronado tower right now and have been disappointed with how loud the rooms are (neighbors partying until 4am until I went to front desk and had security visit them). The buses have also been terrible - extremely long waits. We’ve only stayed at Pop once, but it was way quieter and buses were frequent. I’d go with Pop.

Wow, really? This is the first I've heard of loud rooms in the Tower. Although you can have bad neighbors anywhere. We had one at Shades of Green of all places.

 

[armerida]

Wow, really? This is the first I've heard of loud rooms in the Tower. Although you can have bad neighbors anywhere. We had one at Shades of Green of all places.

Yup. I actually read some reviews here in the Coronado thread, I believe, (or maybe the Gran Destino thread), mentioning the paper thin walls in the tower. Sadly, it’s true. Thankfully we got new neighbors yesterday and we only hear their toilet flushing and door closing!

 

[nkereina]

I just find the bus stops at the moderates a bit of a crapshoot. Ideally it’s great to be able to board the bus at the final stop and go right to the parks, but when we stayed at CSR, that didn’t always happen, as buses were often full by the time they got to the final stop. We saw lots of frustrated people.

Full as in they weren't taking anymore people by the last stop? And that happened often, you say? I'm not sure resort capacity jives with that. My experience has been buses were sometimes standing room only in the mornings by the time they reached the final stop. But there is room for more people, and additional buses are typically dispatched if people are left behind, or choose to stay behind if they don't want to squish in. No different than people in queues at value resort bus stops, really. If this is happening across four bus stops at moderate resorts, it could just as easily happen at the one bus stop at value resorts. I don't think the issue would be attributed to the four bus stops at moderates.

 

[Disneylover99]

Full as in they weren't taking anymore people by the last stop?

Full. As in no more room full.

And that happened often, you say?

We stayed for two weeks in Cabanas, right by the bus stop. We got on whichever bus came first most mornings to go to the foodcourt. Of course most buses were crowded that time of day. It was actually difficult to get off the bus at the main building on some days because people were jostling for position (since not everybody forms a line) trying to get on the bus. Not everybody at that stop was able to get on the bus at that final stop some mornings. I heard lots of grumbling.

I'm not sure resort capacity jives with that.

It sounds like you’re calling me a liar. I’m just relaying my experiences as you are. I’ve seen similar frustrations at the final stop at Riverside and even POFQ in the past. Is it bad all the time? No. My experience is that mornings (in particular) can be a crapshoot.

No different than people in queues at value resort bus stops, really. If this is happening across four bus stops at moderate resorts, it could just as easily happen at the one bus stop at value resorts. I don't think the issue would be attributed to the four bus stops at moderates.

Values like Pop and AofA are totally different. The biggest difference is that when a bus pulls up, you know it will be completely empty. Plus the organized line means there are no petty arguments over who came first. So, while you still may not make it on that bus if it’s really packed, you know you’ll be next. There are no heated words between waiting strangers. It seems much more civilized to me during busy travelling times.

 

[Tammy A]

Full. As in no more room full.



We stayed for two weeks in Cabanas, right by the bus stop. We got on whichever bus came first most mornings to go to the foodcourt. Of course most buses were crowded that time of day. It was actually difficult to get off the bus at the main building on some days because people were jostling for position (since not everybody forms a line) trying to get on the bus. Not everybody at that stop was able to get on the bus at that final stop some mornings. I heard lots of grumbling.



It sounds like you’re calling me a liar. I’m just relaying my experiences as you are. I’ve seen similar frustrations at the final stop at Riverside and even POFQ in the past. Is it bad all the time? No. My experience is that mornings (in particular) can be a crapshoot.



Values like Pop and AofA are totally different. The biggest difference is that when a bus pulls up, you know it will be completely empty. Plus the organized line means there are no petty arguments over who came first. So, while you still may not make it on that bus if it’s really packed, you know you’ll be next. There are no heated words between waiting strangers. It seems much more civilized to me during busy travelling times.

I agree. I just changed our reservation from Coronado Springs standard view to All Star Movies. I'd rather wait in a line and know that I'm getting on based on when I got to the queve vs standing for quite some time only to have some less than honorable people walk up at the last minute and jump on the bus before me even though I have been waiting for 20 minutes and they just walked up. We are going specifically to enjoy the parks since its been 6 years so we just need a place to sleep and shower. I'd rather save the money for food, souvenirs and lyft rides when we need to get some where pronto!

 

[maxiesmom]

My choice would go like this:

CSR
CSR tower
POR
CBR

CBR is the only resort I have stayed at that I'm not in a hurry to go back to. Massive resort. Not great food options.